Loose-leaf-binder frame.



No. 770,749. PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904. E. GEIMME.

LOOSE LEAE BINDER EEAME.

APPLICATION FILED IEB. 28, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904.

E. GRIMME. LOOSE LEAF BINDER FRAME.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 2s. 190s.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

EEE.: mmmmm ww N NO MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented September 27, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK GRIMME, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOALEXANDER A. WHAMOND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

. LOOSE-LEAF-BINDER FRAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,749, datedSeptember 27, 1904.

Application filed February 28, 1903. Serial No. 145,574. (No model.)

To (If/ZZ whorn/ t may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK GRIMME, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf-BinderFrames, of which the following is a specification.

` This invention relates to novel improvements in loose-leaf-binderframes of the type now employed extensively for holding ledger and othersheets for bookkeeping purposes and to some extent for holdingcirculars, catalogues, &c.

The object of the invention is to provide a binder-frame of simple andinexpensive construction which will hold the inserted sheets securely inplace and permit of their ready insertion and removal.

A further object is to apply to and embody in a binder-frame of thischaracter the principle of a spring-back book, so that when the book isopened the back of the leaves will be sprung up in the same'manner as aspringback-bound book and the leaves caused to lie, to all intents andpurposes, flat and smooth, and a still further object is to dispensewith the ordinary prong and post leaf-rests and utilize the tension ofsprings for the purpose of securing and holding the leaves in properposition in the frame.

With these and other ends in view, which will be fully pointed outhereinafter, I have illustrated the invention in the accompanyingdrawings, in which-` Figure l is a planview showing a binder comprisingtwo sections without any leaves therein and in closed position. Fig.Qisasimilar view showing the binder opened. Fig. 3 is a transversesectional view showing the binder provided with a number of leaves andopened. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through one section ofthe binder. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view illustrating anotherform in which the binder may be embodied. Fig. 6 isa detail View showinghow the leaves may be slotted. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a binder made inthree sections. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the bindershown in Fig. 7 I Fig. 9 is an end view of the binder shown in Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicatecorresponding vparts in the several figures, Figs. 1 to 5 illustrate myinvention embodied in a frame comprising two sections 10 11, which canbe cast or stamped out of sheet metal and are provided with sides 12 andends 13. The back of one section, as 11, is extended, as indicated by14, beneath the other section and is arranged to slide in ways formed bythe inwardly-turned flanges 13 on the other section, Fig. 4. Thisconstruction provides for enlarging the binder by extending the sectionswithout leaving an opening in the back, and the parts may be constructedwith a View to providing for receiving a greater or less number ofsheets from time to time and within such limits as may be predetermined.Spring-rollers 15 are suitably mounted in the two sections, and tapes 16are connected at their ends in any suitable manner thereto and travelover guides 17 on the sides of the sections above the rollers. Thespring -rollers may be constructed and arranged in many di`erent ways,and I do not restrict myself to the particular construction illustratedin the drawings or to any other one form. I have Ashown a hollow rollerprovided at one end with a stub-axle 18, havingabearing in the plate 19,fastened to the end of the section or made integral therewith. The axle2O at the other end of the roller is arranged in a slotted bearing 21 ina similar plate 22 and is of a form, preferably flat, which will engagethe walls of the slot and prevent it turning with the roller. A spring23 is fastened at one end to the inner end of this iiat axle and at itsother end it is fastened to the roller.

It is obvious that springs of various kinds may be employed and in manydiiferent ways for attaining the ends sought by my invention, and forthis reason I have chosen to illustrate a spring-roller of very simpleand wellknown construction to better explain the invention and indicateits simplicity and the inexpensive character of its construction.

The tapes may be made of leather, parchment, fabric, or other materialof a flexible nature, which will answer the purposes of-the invention,and the tensionof the springs in the rollers will, preferably, beadjusted to correspond, so as to wind up the tape to an equal extent oneach roller.

The guides may be made in many different ways, but I prefer to useantifriction-rollers, as shown in the drawings.

The leaves 24 are provided with elongated openings 25 to receive thetapes, and the leaves are provided with slots 26, extending from theedge of the leaf to the opening to permit the leaf to be readilyarranged on the tape in the proper manner. I may employ two or moretapes, and of course the leaves will be provided with a correspondingnumber of openings to receive them. I also prefer to scarf the stub endof the leaves in any suitable way to make them thinner than the body ofthe leaf, so that they will be more flexible at the stub end and foldover on the line of the slots in the manner shown in Fig. 3 and lie flaton 'the covers 27, which are hinged to the sections in any suitablemanner. The slots will to a very large extent promote the flexibility ofthe leaves at the stub end thereof; but I prefer to reduce the thicknessof the stub ends, as shown in Fig. 6, and which can be accomplished bymeans of cutters or by a sandpapering machine or in any suitable way.

I do not claim herein the leaf as an independent articleof manufacture,as this forms the subject-matter of my application Serial No. 170,637,filed August 24, 1903.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a binder constructed to receive and hold acomparatively few number of leaves, but adapted to be extended to hold agreater number, the sections being curved to accommodate the rollers andthe tapes being wound thereon in a direction opposite to that shown inFig. 3.

In Figs. 7 to 9 I have shown the invention embodied in a bindercomprising three sections 28 29 30, the two sections 28 and 30 beingconstructed in all material respects substantially similar to thesections lO and 1l of the binder shown in Figs. l to 5 and arranged toslide within the upturned ends 29 of the middle section and guided bythe plates 3l. For the purpose of securing the three sections togetherand preventing their becoming disconnected and for the further purposeof insuring that both of the side sections 28 and 30 shall move to acorresponding degree I provide a pair of spring-plates 32, which areconnected at or about their middle to the side sections 28 30. Theseplates are connected together at their ends by pins 33, which areprovided with enlarged heads 34, arranged to travel in the undercut slot35 in the rib 36 on the middle section 29 of the binder. Thesespring-plates thus connected constitute, in effect, a fusiformspring-metal band, which is preferably of elliptic shape and connectedat the middle of each plate to the side sections and guided at thecontracted ends on the middle section. It follows, therefore, that bothside sections must move to the same extent relatively to the backsection, and thus the relative position of the sections is constantlymaintained This controlling-spring device and thus adapt it not only forthe purposes to. which these binders have already been largely.

used in connection with bookkeeping, but also for holding circulars,price-lists, and other information which merchants, manufacturers,brokers, and others may send to their customers and correspondents fromtime to time.

I contemplate that these binders can be made and sold at such low costthat merchants and others will send them out to their customers, andinstead of printing complete cata-.

logues, which are necessarily reprinted entire at frequent intervals,will send instead loose sheets or sections, which can be tem-l porarilyor permanently bound in these binders as they are received and taken outwhen substitutes come tol hand. This will will enable the merchants tokeep their customers posted closely to date and 'at comparatively smallexpense and avoid the trouble and annoyance which frequently followsfrom ,changesin prices after catalogues have been distributed.Furthermore, it will be observed that my binder is constructed andarranged toI receive and hold the ledger or other leaves for use inbookkeeping and that these leaves will lie flat whenthe binder isopened, Fig. 3, so that entries can be readily made thereon. While thisis of special importance in this particular use of a binder, it is alsovery desii-able when the binder is used for catalogue purposes, so thatthe letter-press can be easily read. Ledger-leaves are usually made ofcomparatively thick and heavy paper, and for this reason I prefer toscarf or thin the stub ends thereof as heretofore described; but forcatalogue purposes this will probably not be necessary, because thinnerandmore flexible paper is generally used.

The tension of the roller-springs should be sufficient to cause thetapes to hold the side sections of the binder tightly clamped on theleaves when the book is closed and yet permit the book to open readilyin the manner shown in Fig. 3 without tearing the leaves.

, It will be observed by reference to Fig. 3 thatv IOO IIO

the stubs of the leaves will spring up in a manner similar to aspring-back book when the book is opened instead of being held in rigidposition down between the side sections of the binder. The tapes thushold the stub ends of the leaves in the arc of a circle and securely inplace, so that the leaves will liein flat position. When the book isclosed, the edges are all smooth, and the leaves can be readily fingeredtoopen the book .at a particular place. Scaring the stub ends of theleaves also reduces the thickness oi' the stub end of the book andenables the spring-rollers to hold the leaves tightly and compactly.

To prevent the leaves adjacent to the covers from becoming worn by theguide-rollers or otherwise, I may providel plates or strips 37, (shownin Figs. 3, 4,) which are slotted to receive the tapes and are locatedthereon between the top and bottom leaves of the book and theguide-rollers. Instead of using loose plates I may provideinwardly-turned ianges 37', integral with the side sections and locatedabove the guide-rollers, as shown in Fig. The iiat axle 20 will be heldin place in any suitable manner, and for this purpose a wedge 38 may bedriven into the slot above the aXle.-

My invention can be embodied in binderframes which vary greatly in size,shape, and details oi' construction from that herein shown anddescribed, and I do not wish to be understood as limiting the scope ofmy invention to any particular construction, but reserve the right toembody the invention in any form which will come within its spirit andscope.

rI`he invention can be embodied in a two orthree section back, asdescribed; but it will be observed that the two side sections are theimportant parts, and it is immaterial, so far as the invention isconcerned, whether there be an intermediate middle section or not, andthe claims will be so read and understood.

Without limiting myself to the exact construction and arrangement of.parts herein shown and described, whatI claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

l. A binder for loose sheets comprising a frame, spring-rollers carriedby the frame, and tapes attached at their ends to said spring-rollersand carrying the sheets.

2. A binder for loose sheets comprising a frame consisting of telescopicsections, a pair of spring-rollers mounted in the frame, and

tapes attached at their ends to said spring-rollers and carrying thesheets.

3'. A binder for loose sheets comprising a frame, spring-rollers carriedby the frame, guides located above the rollers adjacent to the top ofthe frame, and tapes traveling over said guides and having their endsattached to said rollers.

4. A binder-frame for loose sheets comprising two telescopic sections, aspring-roller carried by each section, guides on each section above theroller, and tapes traveling over the guides with their ends attached tothe rollers.

5. A binder-frame for loose sheets comprising two side sections, each ofsaid sections having a side, a back, and ends, a roller mounted in eachsection, a guide carried by the side of the section at the top thereofand above the roller, tapes having their ends attached to the rollersand traveling over the guides from one section to the other at the topof the frame.

6. A binder for loose sheets comprising a frame, spring-rollers carriedby the frame, tapes attached to the roller, and sheets provided withopenings to engage said tapes and reduced in thickness from the line ofsaid openings to the rear edge of the sheet.

7 Abinder comprising a frame,spring rollers carried by the frame, tapesattached to said rollers and forming leaf rests, rand plates looselyarranged on the tapes intermediate of the leaves and said rollers.

8. A binder comprising a frame,spring-rollers carried by the frame,tapes attached to said rollers and forming leaf-rests, guides for thetapes above the rollers, and plates'arranged on the tapes between theleaves and said guides.

9. A binder for loose sheets comprising a middle section and tworelatively movable side sections, and an elliptic spring having itssides connected to said movable sections and its ends guided on themiddle section.

l0. A binder for loose sheets comprising a middle section provided witha guide-slot, two relatively movable side sections, an elliptic springhaving its sides connected to said movable sections, and pins on theends of said spring arranged to travel in said slot.

FREDERICK GRIMME.

Witnesses:

WM. O. BELT, HELEN L. PEGK.

IOO

